The Crossroads of Destiny Book Three: Beyond
by thew40
Summary: [COMPLETE]With He-Man, Teela and MAA on Earth, and Skeletor on the throne of Grayskull, what about Eternos, She-Ra, and the Heroic Warriors? Find out here! Go beyond the movie! Please R&R!
1. Notes

Historian's Note: This story takes place following the ending of the original Filmation "Masters of the Universe" cartoon (about two weeks following the final episode - "The Cold Zone"); and a week after first five episodes of "She-Ra, Princess of Power" post "Secrets of the Sword."

Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on many of the Masters of the Universe mini-comics and the motion picture, often times being totally new versions of the stories featured there. All characters featured in this story are the property of those that created them. This story is for entertainment purposes only, not for profit.

Note: This is a sequeal to "Masters of the Universe: The Crossroads of Destiny - Book One: Honor" and "Masters of the Universe: The Crossroads of Destiny - Book Two: War." For better understanding, it is best if you read these before continuing this. If you did not, here is a run down of what has happened.

Book One: Honor

Skeletor released King Hiss, Tung Lashor, and Rattlor, all three warriors of the Snake Men, who were trapped in a timeless void 1,000 years ago by the Council of Elders

After a confrontation with Beast-Man, Teela was left wounded

Escapees from Hordak, Snout Spout and Extendar arrived on Eternia and joined the Heroic Warriors.

After stealing a number of ancient books (and injuring a soldier in the process) King Hiss unlocked the location of the Great Towers of Eternia.

He released the towers, leading to a three-way battle between the Heroic Warriors, the Evil Warriors/Snake Men, and the Horde

During this battle, He-Man was locked in a dangerous battle with Skeletor. Teela, though still hurt, was sent to give He-Man important information regarding the secret of the Towers. Just as this secret was revealed, Skeletor unleashed a death-shot to her.

He-Man was unable to help her, as he claimed the power of the Great Towers, becoming their protector and banishing Skeletor, Hordak, and King Hiss away

When He-Man was finally able to reach Teela, he was too late. She was dead.

Book Two: War

After the confrontation in Book One between Hordak and King Hiss, the pair begins an arms race against each other. King Hiss acquires the energy zoid known as Twistoid, the robot Blast-Attack and the Meteorbs. From Count Marzo, he receives a book that allows him to restore 2,000 of his Snake Men warriors with the aide of the Snake Amulet.

Meanwhile, Hordak builds 1,500 Horde Troopers and sets up base on Eternia at the Golden Isles.

After expelling Skeletor and his Evil Warriors from Snake Mountain, King Hiss uses the fortress as his base of operations. He launches an attack on Eternos with his newly released warriors. After forcing the Heroic Warriors to retreat to Castle Grayskull, Eternos falls to the Snake Men.

Immediately following this victory, King Hiss takes a massive assault unit to Etheria and forces Queen Angella to sign a treaty that will allow the Snake Men to occupy Brightmoon while they assault the Fright Zone.

As combat begins on Etheria, Hordak takes his Horde Troopers on Eternia and takes over North and West Eternos - the kingdoms belonging to Randor's siblings, Johanna and Stephan. Stratos and Buzz-Off take off from Grayskull to seek the aide of Avion and Insectia, only to fall victim to an attack by the Snake Men.

As the battle on Etheria takes a turn for the worst, Hordak is forced to withdraw from Eternia. From the besieged Fright Zone, Hordak preps the best defense he can - only to realize that it's too late. The Snake Men could easily claim The Horde base in a matter of hours.

Hordak realizes, then, that he must go to Castle Grayskull and summon the ancient powers of the Elders to banish the Snake Men once more. The problem being - that once the power of Elders is summoned, Grayskull's Great Eye will open in two days, giving whomever is at the throne of Grayskull access to its incredible power. Despite this, though, the Sorceress, He-Man, She-Ra, the Heroic Warriors and a number of cosmic entities concerned with Eternia agree - it must be done before King Hiss can spread his evil power even farther.

Meanwhile, Teela wakens from near-death after a series of mental and spiritual tests, and - fully healed - rejoins her friends and family. The only thing she can remember about her dream is that there is a great destiny before her.

As He-Man launches an attack on Eternos in an effort to reclaim it, She-Ra does the same with Brightmoon with a few newer members of the Heroic Warriors. Hordak confronts King Hiss and the two do battle. In the end, all Snake Men except for King Hiss' elite are banished back to the void. Hordak, severally injured, retreats to the damaged Fright Zone for recovery.

Just as it seems that everything is going well at Eternos, though, He-Man and his allies are shocked as a portal opens, unleashing Tri-Klops and a new robotic army in the service of Skeletor.

Skeletor has found a device called the Cosmic Key and has used it to take Castle Grayskull and Eternos, forcing He-Man, Man-At-Arms, and Teela into hiding as their allies are captured.

Skeletor, who has been observing the Horde/Snake Men War carefully, has taken Castle Grayskull, well aware that in twenty-four hours, he will be able to stand at the throne as the Great Eye opens - allowing him to become the new Master of the Universe.

That's only the basics, though. You really should go read the first two books.


	2. TwentyFour Hours

Chapter One

"Twenty-Four Hours"

The stars twinkled above him as if nothing had changed. He-Man checked his chronometer. It was almost midnight. Twenty-four hours. He needed to get into Grayskull and take down Skeletor in order to prevent the Master of Chaos from taking its power. Only twenty-four hours . . . to change the planet that had already changed so quickly.

Yesterday . . . yesterday felt like a dream. Hordak and King Hiss battled it out, unleashing incredible powers. Hordak fought on the side of angels, using the sacred power of the Elders to once more banish the Snake Men to the Void. In the end, Hordak succeeded and all but King Hiss and his personal sect of warriors were banished.

Eternos and Brightmoon were both freed. All that was left to do was clean up the mess, which most importantly included the Sorceress remaining at Grayskull's throne when the Great Eye opens. Such an easy task. He-Man knew, though, in his heart that it would not be so simple. He asked Man-At-Arms, Teela, and all of the Royal Soldiers they could muster to keep an eye on Grayskull until the time came.

Of course, He-Man's gut feelings came to manifest. Immediately following the Snake Men's banishment, Skeletor made his move. He somehow gained teleportational power and a robotic army and unleashed them both on Eternos, taking it quickly.

He-Man was knocked-out just as the robotic army seized the Palace. When he awoke, he was dizzy and found himself out the walls of Eternos, laying low in tall weeds next to the river. Battle Cat had apparently pulled him out of Eternos, and kept him hiding in the tall grass for a while.

When He-Man stirred, he had accidentally shifted enough of the tall grass to catch the attention of Trap-Jaw and Two-Bad. Battle Cat pushed him down and played the role of the decoy, giving He-Man time to escape into the Evergreen Forest. As he made his way from Eternos, He-Man had received a short message from Man-At-Arms and Teela. They were still alive, but under siege.

Hopefully, they were still alive at this moment. Losing them would be . . .

It still felt like a dream to He-Man. 

Now, in the present, He-Man waited for confirmation of his greatest fears. Perched at the top of a cliff, He-Man looked out at the holosphere - a gigantic transmitter used by Eternos. Skeletor would most likely feel the need to gloat about the victor over the forces of good.

Indeed. The holosphere slicked on, producing a blue-lit image of Skeletor as he stood at the throne of Grayskull.

"_People of Eternia_," he began with a wave of his hand, "_the war is over. My forces are victorious. The Sorceress of Grayskull is my prisoner and her powers are joined with mine. Let this be my first decree -_ " he said with arrogance, "- _those that do not pledge themselves to me shall be destroyed! The new age begins . . ._"

He-Man turned away as the visage of Skeletor faded. Anger filled his heart. Twenty-four hours now. Not a lot of time to save the universe. He started down the cliff, hoping to reach Castle Grayskull by early morning.

"He-Man . . ." came a high-pitched and very familiar voice. He-Man spun around - and found Orko floating towards him from the bushes.

"Orko!" He-Man cried, feeling a surprising amount of joy reach him. The Trollian flew over and hugged the great warrior. "I'm so glad to you're alive."

"Me too."

"How did you escape Eternos?"

"I . . . um . . ."

He-Man nodded. "You ran away."

Orko looked ashamed. "I'm sorry, He-Man, really. It was just . . ."

He-Man shook his head and placed his hand on Orko's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Orko. I'm glad to see you. In fact . . . I need your help."

Orko looked up, surprise in his eyes. "You do?"

"Yes," He-Man replied. "I'm going to Castle Grayskull. If you didn't hear, it's fallen to Skeletor. I'm going to do everything I can to retake it. But I need your help, Orko, so listen very carefully."

"Uh-huh," Orko answered, nodding.

"I need you to go to Avion and get to Stratos' wife, Delora, and his sister, Hawk. As a representative of Eternos and a member of the Royal Court, I'm placing the responsibility of getting their help in your hands."

"Me?!"

"Yes. You are to get to Avion, and very swiftly arrange for Avion and Insectia to launch an attack on Eternos. Given the circumstances, I'm sure they'll commit. After you reach Avion and get an answer, you'll need to make for the Great Towers immediately. I'm concerned about them. It's there that I want you to start your second task."

Orko gulped. "SECOND task?"

"Yes," He-Man answered. "When you get to the Great Towers, go to Grayskull Tower and find any and all book regarding teleportation. I need you to open up a portal to Etheria and get She-Ra and the Heroic Warriors that are there and have them come back. We're going to need all the help we can get."

". . . Okay," Orko returned, doubt in his voice.

He-Man looked seriously into Orko's eyes. "Can you do this?"

"I think so . . ."

"First thing, go to Avion, get to Delora and Hawk, apprise them of the situation and have them launch a counter-attack against Skeletor's forces at Eternos in conjunction with the Insectoids. And then, go to the Great Towers and find a way to teleport She-Ra and the other Heroic Warriors back to Eternia to help us out."

Orko nodded, feeling a bit more confidence. Not too hard, really. "I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

"And you have less than twenty-four hours to do it."

Orko nearly fainted. "Trolly Molly . . ."

He-Man placed his hands on Orko shoulders. Orko looked at He-Man right in the eyes and saw a deep, strong intensity that he had never seen before. Suddenly, Orko felt like he could do this - because He-Man believed he could.

"You have to do this, Orko, for all our sakes, I'm leaving this in your hands."

Orko nodded strongly. "Okay, He-Man! I can do it!"

He-Man smiled and patted the Court Jester on the back. "Then go, Orko. Good journey, Orko. Be fast, be careful."

Orko floated off. "I will, He-Man! Good journey!"

And with that, He-Man watched as the Trollian floated off into the horizon. He-Man took a breath as he realized that he just put the fate of Eternos in the hands of the worst Court Jester magician ever. For some reason, though, that didn't bother him at all.

***

As moonlight shined through the windows of the throne room of the Royal Palace, Tri-Klops pressed a few keys on his wrist communicator. "This is Tri-Klops to Evil Lynn. I have the hourly report."

"_Go ahead, Tri-Klops._"

"The city remains secured. We've still got a lot of civilians down in the stronghold, but they don't seem to be resisting. All Heroic Warriors and Royal Soldiers are in the prison."

"_Good, good. What of the king and queen?_"

Tri-Klops turned to the statutes of Randor and Marlena. They pair stood frozen in that form thanks to Snake Face, and had been placed in the middle of the throne room as a symbol of the Snake Men's power to the city. Now, it only served as a prison for the two.

"Trust me, Evil Lynn," Tri-Klops laughed, "they aren't going anywhere."

***

Explosions erupted behind Man-At-Arms and Teela as the raced from the looming visage of Castle Grayskull. "I hate retreating," Man-At-Arms grumbled.

"We had no choice," Teela replied. "Skeletor had already found a way into Grayskull. I just wish I knew how . . ."

"We were betrayed," Man-At-Arms deduced. "Someone in our lines must have made it into Grayskull and then found a way for Skeletor to enter. It's the only explanation."

Teela nodded, but not completely agreed. "How much time, father?"

"Twenty-four hours."

"Not a long time to save the universe."

"Nope. But we can do it," Man-At-Arms assured her. "Not a problem."

Teela smiled. "I hope you're right. I'm really afraid. This feels so much bigger. Everything does. I used to be so certain about the outcomes of our little adventures, but this time . . ."

Man-At-Arms put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Hey. You okay?"

She drew a breath. "I . . . don't know. I suppose part of me is still reeling from the coma and . . . you know, I vaguely remember . . . I don't know, some sort of dream."

"What do you mean?"

The two had stopped and stooped underneath a tall tree with low-hanging branches. Stopping like this usually wasn't a good idea, Man-At-Arms felt like this might be a good thing right now. One of those really important father/daughter moments that needed a good pause.

"Well, I don't remember the dream really at all. Except for . . . I don't know . . . there was this woman . . ." She paused and bit her lower lip in though. "Dad, what happened to my mother again?"

Man-At-Arms looked surprised and held his tongue before answering completely. "Teela, you . . . we've talked about this before."

"I know, but in my dream, there was the woman . . . I remember her. I think she was my mother."

Teela saw her father's eyes turn intense. "Your mother, she . . ."

Before he could answer completely, though, a sudden explosion blasted rocks towards them. The pair drew their weapons once more.

"They're looking for us," Teela surmised.

"Yeah," Man-At-Arms said. There was a deep part of him that felt the sudden need to tell Teela the truth of the matter. What really happened to her mother.

"We should move on," Teela then said, another explosion erupting near them.

"Yeah."

"Twenty-four hours, right?"

"Yes."

"Should be more than enough time to save the universe."


	3. Orko Finally Kicks Some Butt

Chapter Two

"Orko Finally Kicks Some Butt"

The morning sun rose from the horizon, setting the clouds in the sky into a red haze. It was apparent to all of Eternia what this meant - blood had been spilled over the night. Skeletor's forces had taken Castle Grayskull and Eternos - promising to put all of Eternia soon into the same situation.

Orko, Court Jester for the Royal Family, soared over the rocky terrain of the Mystic Mountains, shooting towards Avion as fast as he could. But even the strength of this Trollian was being lost. For six hours straight has he flown, moving at a speed he never thought he could reach. Every part of him wanted to give up, to just set down and wait. Or even try and find a way back to Trolla. Every part of him - save his heart. His heart demanded that he go on.

Avion was the only hope for Eternos.

And so, he soared towards Avion, the white clouds streaking past him on his journey. He began to lose hope when he realized that it took Stratos and Buzz-Off half the time to get to Eternos. Maybe he got lost, then. Maybe he was going in the wrong direction. Maybe he had passed out and this was all a dream - or a nightmare!

And then, rising over the next peek, the spires of Avion appeared. Orko thrusted forward.

***

Hawk walked across throne room, and tensed herself as she approached her advisors. "What do you report?"

The advisor shook his head. "I'm sorry, milady, but we have had no sign of Stratos. And the scouts report Skeletor's forces are consolidating their power at Eternos and Castle Grayskull. It is our estimated guess that they are planning on launching an attack northward."

"Into the Vine Jungle, the Mystic Mountains, and Ice Mountains? Skeletor must be mad."

"No," came the voice of Delora, the human wife of Stratos. "My sister-in-law, with Grayskull taken, Skeletor will be able to grow exponentially in power."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is - "

But the doors of throne room flying open cut off Delora. Orko staggered in, winded and looking like he was about to pass out.

"Who is this?!" shouted the advisor.

"Orko, Court Jester of Eternos," Delora answered.

"What's he doing here?" questioned Hawk.

Orko gasped and wheezed. "Need . . . Eternos needs . . ." he groaned, chest rising and falling with great heaves of air. "Eternos . . ."

"Has fallen," Delora finished for Orko. "We know this. How did you escape? Where is He-Man?"

"He's . . . he's going to fight Skeletor!" gasped Orko.

Hawk looked Delora. "If He-Man plans on fighting Skeletor, then there is still hope. Orko, I take it this is a formal request to join arms against Skeletor and free Eternos?" asked Hawk.

"Yes . . . and Insectia. And we need to do this by . . . midnight."

With that, Orko passed out.

"Get him some water and get a bed! Let him rest for a little while, and then wake him. We must know all that he knows," Delora commanded.

Hawk spun and turned to her advisor. "Get me Insectia."

Within moments, the communication lines between Avion and Insectia were opened. The Queen Bee sat next to Queen Kexia the MVII - the rulers of the Bees and the Kex, respectively. "By midnight? Is he mad?" yelped Queen Bee.

"We're not sure on the details, but we can assume that when Skeletor took Grayskull, certain powers would be released to him at midnight. We must strike before then if we are to believe this. The Avions will do so, even though Stratos is still missing. We know that our three kingdoms have served together for generations and Eternos has sent word of distress intended for the both of us. Will you help us?"

Kexia looked to Queen Bee. They both nodded. "Yes. For the sake of Eternia, we will aid both you and Eternos."

Queen Bee then frowned. "But I fear even our combined forces will be no match for the power of Skeletor's armies."

***

Tri-Klops swaggered into the Royal Throne Room of Eternos and slumped down onto King Randor's chair. The statue of the King and Queen sat before him and for a moment, Tri-Klops considered blasting it to pieces. But he stopped, realizing that Skeletor had called dibs on that.

It was then that Tri-Klops' communicator began to beep. He pulled it out. "Tri-Klops here."

"Tri-Klops, this is Evil Lynn. There's been a development."

"Oh? What kind of development?"

"He-Man rescued our little worm Gwildor, and it turns out he had another Cosmic Key. They attacked the Castle - "

"What?!"

"- But we pushed them away, forcing them to flee into a random portal."

"Have you tracked the signal?"

"Not yet. Karg - " She said this name with great disgust " - Karg has chosen a number of new recruits to lead the retrieval squad. I thought it best, though, to send in one of our own. I thought since you have so many at your disposal . . ."

"Take Beast-Man," Tri-Klops answered quickly. "It's that time of year again. He's shedding like mad."

Evil Lynn cackled. "Good! Send him over immediately. Tell me, how is your hold on Eternos?"

"Stable. Skeletor still have you in charge on plotting out the incursions into the northern territories?"

"Yes. The armies are being moved into position as we speak."

"Should make for an interesting couple of days."

***

Orko woke with a start.

Memories flowed into his Trollian mind, reminding him where he was and what he was doing here. He searched for his watch. 10:00 AM! Oh no!

"Trolly Molly! I'm late!" he shouted.

"Orko?" came Delora's voice. "Orko, what's wrong? Late for what?"

Orko floated up and towards the door, energy rising up within him. "I have to get to the Great Towers and find a way to get She-Ra and the Great Rebellion over here from Etheria, along with some of our own good guys!"

"Wait!" shouted Delora, following Orko out into the hallway. "Avion and Insectia have agreed to help Eternos. We're meeting this afternoon, then launching out immediately. We'll help you!"

"That's great! Then you'll need all the help you can get!" yelped Orko.

"Wait!" Delora shouted again. "Take the Talon Fighter He-Man left here! It'll get you to the Sands of Time faster!"

Orko turned around, his eyes looking wide with relief. "All right! Thank you . . . I'm just so tired . . ."

Delora bent over to Orko. "You can do this, Orko of Trolla. All Eternia rests in your hands. You must hurry. Our scouts report that the Great Towers have yet to be taken. But you must hurry."

Not a scant twenty minutes later, Orko was in the Talon Fighter, headed towards the Sands of Time. With the Talon Fighter on auto-pilot (because everyone knows he would have crashed it if he was doing it on his own), Orko took the time to relax for a moment.

His thoughts raced around all of the different events that had occurred since his return from Trolla. And then . . . they settled on Trolla. He suddenly remembered the great time he had had on Trolla. It was the best he had EVER had. Uncle Montok, Yuckers . . . Dree Ell. The last person - of course - stood out to Dree Ell. Orko missed her already. The touch of her hand, the sweetness of her kiss, the warmth of her hugs. It all lingered merrily around and with Orko ever since they first met.

What would happen to her if Skeletor won?

The though shocked Orko. It scared him to the bone. If he failed here . . . Skeletor would conquer all of Eternia. He suddenly pictured Man-At-Arms, Teela, Stratos - all of the Heroic Warriors, hanging from the gallows. He-Man, executed. She-Ra, burned alive. Grayskull shattered and split open, the Sorceress killed. And then the destruction reaching all across Eternia . . . and then beyond.

With the gateways within Grayskull completely to his disposal, Skeletor could travel anywhere he wanted. Including Trolla.

New, more awful images filled his brain.

The High Muck-Muck impaled.

Yuckers and Montok tortured and killed.

Dree Ell . . .

Anger - RAGE - boiled within Orko. The evil that existed on Eternia must be defeated. All evil. Skeletor first of all. And do that, Orko needed to release his friends from the Eternos prison. To do that - he would have to find away to bridge the gap between Eternia and Etheria. Orko had no illusions - for once - about his role in this game. He was no warrior - but he knew some great ones.

And they - they would save the world.

Orko saw then, the Great Towers. What he saw shocked him. The Snake Men - Rattlor, Sssqueeze, Kobra Kahn, Snake Face, Tung Lashor, Blast Attack, and Twistoid - all stood before the entrance as the remaining Royal Guards faced off with them. They were gathered in an out-cropping rocks, and released their own individual attacks on the Royal Guards.

That was when Orko noticed something then. The Snake Men had hostages - two of them. Stratos and Buzz-Off were both bound and gagged next to the watchful eyes of King Hiss. Not statues, he realized, because they were good bargaining chips.

And that . . . that was when Orko came up with a damn good plan.

"This is Orko to all Royal Troops!" he shouted through the intercom, connecting with the soldiers. "I'm using the my - ahem! - rank to order you to stand down! I've got all this under control!"

"_Ummm . . ._" came a collective response.

"_Sir, this is Commander Gavenor. Orko, I don't know what you're up to, but this had better than your usual egg-in-Man-At-Arms face routine._"

"Routine?! That's one of my - " Focus, Orko. "Just trust me, heh heh!"

A few minutes later, behind the out-cropping of rocks, King Hiss noted the distancing of the laser fire. He looked up at Tung Lashor. "What is going on?" he asked, his voice still weak from the battle with Hordak.

"They're pulling back, sire! They're retreating!"

"We're winning!" yelped Sssqueeze.

"Not yet you're not!" Orko shouted from behind then. The whole group turned and faced the Trollian. Orko gasped, fearing fill his body. "Um . . ."

"What?" hissed Tung Lashor.

"In the . . . under the . . ." he stammered. "I place you under arrest by order of King Randor of Eternos! There! I said it!"

King Hiss threw his head back and bellowed. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Kill him, please."

The Snake Men lunged towards Orko. He swooped in, though, avoiding the long arms of Sssqueeze. The tongue of Tung Lashor shot towards Orko, but missed due to his swiftness, and smacked Snake Face in the face. Kobra Khan shot streams of acid out - but it hit Blast Attack, corroding part of his systems.

Then, Orko flew up about three feet up. As he did, he threw a levitation spell out that tossed Stratos and Buzz-Off away from the Snake Men. They tumbled to safety. And then, just as the Snake Men reached for him - Orko opened up a pouch and spun around. Dust flew out and fell onto the Snake Men. For the first three seconds, nothing happened.

And then . . . they began to shrink. Fast.

King Hiss yelled curses towards Orko until he reached a quarter on an inch tall. Orko smiled and waved down at the tiny insect. The Snake Men ran off, now in a much larger world.

The noon reached high above the Great Towers shortly afterwards, and Orko stood up on the top and looked towards Light Hemisphere. "We best get moving," Stratos said, as he walked with Buzz-Off towards the Court Jester.

"Thank you, Orko, you did good work."

Orko smiled. "Ahhh, thanks guys! You wanna hug!"

Stratos looked to Buzz-Off awkwardly. "Ummm . . ."

"Errrr . . ."

"Maybe another time."

"Yeah, when this is all over."

Orko nodded. "Aw, okay guys. Well, I've got to find a book that'll let me open a portal to Etheria."

"You'll find it," assured Stratos.

"We can count on you," Buzz-Off threw in.

"See you on the front lines!" Stratos shouted, taking off into the noon sky. 

Buzz-Off flew right behind him and added - "Warrior of Eternia!"

Orko smiled to himself, then made for the library. This little Trollian still had a lot of work to do. 


	4. Tarnished Crowns

QUICK NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Okay, this is my first time writing Frosta. It's been so long since I've seen the old Filmation "POP" show that I've just basically had to guess at what she's like. If I'm totally and completely off, please feel free to thoroughly yell at me. But, nonetheless, enjoy the show! ~W~

Chapter Three

"Tarnished Crowns"

Frosta made herself comfortable in her throne. As leader of the Snow-People, she needed to put on a good face for the Selkies. Their representatives had come from Glacia for a reason, one that called for the alliance formed between the two formerly warring peoples to come into play. Though it wasn't a long distance between Glacia - home of the Selkies - and Castle Chill, it was still a big deal to have them here.

Considering the past history between the races, Frosta needed to show the Selkies that she was not their enemy. Not until the Horde was defeated.

"Mr. Ambassador," Frosta started, "what brings you here to Castle Chill?"

The large, thick-bodied Selkie looked at Frosta with concern. "The Horde are in movement again. We've heard rumors that they need resources. Minerals found only under our kingdom's lands. The Fright Zone took quite a beating from the Snake Men."

"How soon can they launch an attack?" questioned Frosta, playing with her long, white hair.

"Few days. They'll use their Bat-Mechs to fly in and then they'll bomb us. They learned from their last confrontation with us - "

"Their ONLY confrontation with us," added Frosta.

"Yes. They learned from that that ground forces won't work well against us."

Frosta's mind thought about this for a while. There was a decision she had been contemplating for the past few weeks, and it was time she made it. "For too long have the Selkies and the Snow-People sat around and waited for an attack."

" . . . What?" wondered the ambassador.

"We're going on the offensive. We're taking this fight to them."

The ambassador was flabbergasted. "But - but - but - we can't!"

She smiled at the ambassador stood up. "Don't worry. When I say 'we', I mean 'me.' I'm going on the offensive for both our peoples."

"What? How so?" questioned the ambassador.

"Why . . . I'm going to join the Great Rebellion, that's how."

***

There was something different.

He could feel it within him, deep within his soul. Something changed. Something was released that was buried away a long time ago. It was as if a light had been shined into a place where darkness had dwelt for so long.

Hordak stood up from his chair, and began to remove his armor. He felt old. He felt his age. 1,500 years old and still alive. Magic, technology, and the slow aging of his people had kept him alive through these many centuries. He thoughts raced into the past suddenly, and Hordak recalled his accomplishments. Such incredible victories, and such amazing battles. 

He was considered a prized member of the Horde. An astounding leader. A skilled tactician. A warlord beyond all other terms. But there was something else. Something else that he had been known as 1,000 years ago.

A masterful apprentice to the Council of Elders.

It was supposed to be such an easy assignment. Act like an alien visitor, seeking guidance from the Council of Elders; become one of their fifty apprentices; then assassinate the Council of Elders, paving the way for planetary conquest.

But he had underestimated the Council of Elders. Thirty-five years of trust and power, and they still didn't fully believe that he was trustworthy. They stopped him, and he was kicked off Eternia for another 900 years. Yet . . . he had learned a lot in those thirty-five years.

The knowledge gained there was more powerful than anything he has learned since. And yet, he blocked most of it out. He denied that time and those experiences, remembering it only as a few words written in a report.

Until now.

And now, something was different.

Channeling the power of the Elders like that had touched those memories and brought them to the surface. To make matters worse, he even had some of the Elders' memories within him, flowing with his own. He was different and unsure.

Hordak stopped removing his armor after the chest plate was off. He turned to a torn fabric on his bed. The symbol of the Elders. It was his robe, which had been mostly ruined during the struggle with Hiss. Why he kept was beyond him, but still . . . there were memories about it . . . in his mind . . .

"Lord Hordak," came the call of Mantenna on the intercom.

"Yes?" Hordak asked.

"It's him. He wants to talk to you. Says it's important."

Hordak heaved, and placed the ripped robe back on his bed. Then, putting the armor back on, Hordak walked from his quarters to the Communications Chamber.

Arriving in the large room, he saw the solid-energy image of Horde Prime before him. Darkness and green swirled behind what appeared to a smokescreen. A large metallic hand beckoned him forth. Hordak stepped forward and bowed.

"Horde Prime. How good to hear from you again."

"Silence, Hordak! We have matters to discuss."

"Apparently so."

"You KNEW I didn't support this war!" shouted Prime. "Yet you used YOUR Horde resources in YOUR personal war against the Snake Men! WHY?!"

Hordak straightened. "They were a threat. King Hiss has a grudge against me, Horde Prime. I sought to end it, which would allow for our return to Eternia."

"Return to -- ?! HORDAK! We are no longer interested in Eternia! What happened there was a personal matter! And look what this PERSONAL MATTER and YOUR VENGEFUL WAR has cost us! Has cost YOU!"

"We are working on repairing the Fright Zone."

"Then do so. In the meantime, I am leaving Horde World for Etheria. We will be there in a few days."

"What?! Why?"

"The events that have been set in motion has stirred an ancient evil power. The Nameless One has awakened and has been called to Eternia . . ."

Hordak felt a sudden lump in his throat. "No . . ."

"Yes. We'll be there soon to prepare for the best defense."

***

"Something went wrong," She-Ra said, slumped down in her chair. The Sword of Protection hung listlessly from her hand, having spent hours trying to use to reach the Sorceress. That had no been response, which was shocking. Therefore, it was obvious - something went wrong.

"We don't know that for sure," Glimmer attempted as she and the others all sat around the Throne Room.

"There's no other explanation," Extendar countered. "We have proof that Hordak has returned to Etheria. Someone else must have launched an assault."

"Skeletor perhaps? Or maybe Hordak failed to stop King Hiss?" Snout Spout stated.

"We're all jumping to conclusions," Angella calmed. "The Snake Men are gone from Etheria. Hordak has retreated. Right now, we need to concentrate on finding out the facts. How can we do that?"

She-Ra looked up at her queen. "I will infiltrate the Fright Zone and attempt to make contact with Eternia. It's the only way."

"Great, and I'll come with you," came a female voice from the entrance.

Frosta stood there, her white hair drifting done past her shoulders. "I'm Frosta. I'd like to join the Great Rebellion."

"Frosta?" asked Angella, standing up from her throne. "Of Castle Chill?"

"The one and the same. If you haven't heard, the Horde are prepping to move against us again and to be frank, I'm tired of being on the defensive. So . . . here I am."

"Well, to be honest, we could use all the help we can get," Bow stated.

"Great!" Frosta yelped, clapping her hands. "Now let's see . . . don't' tell me, I betting I can guess your names. Glimmer, Bow, She-Ra, Queen Angella, Madame Razz and . . . er . . . Broom. Right?"

"That's right," She-Ra replied, smiling at her friends in the Great Rebellion.

Frosta then turned to the Heroic Warriors Snout Spout, Extendar, Rio Blast, Rotar and Clamp Champ. "Okay . . . let's see. Elephant-Boy, Metal Man, Rhinestone Cowboy, Top-Dude and Man-With-Metal-Claw."

The Heroic Warriors looked at each other, exchanging smiles and embarrassed looks. "We'll . . . work on names later," She-Ra assured her new friend. "In the meantime, I need to make for the Fright Zone."

"Good!" shouted Frosta. "I'll come with you."

"I don't think that's such a - "

"Let me put it this way - I'm going anyways. Let's just do this together."

***

"Meal time!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Two-Bad walked across the length of the stronghold, the citizens of Eternos looking worse for wear. Behind him, centurions were throwing out pieces of bread out to the many civilians. They scrambled for it with little dignity.

"Ha ha ha!"

"This is great!"

"Two-Bad!" shouted Tri-Klops all of a sudden. "Give them the food, don't throw it at them! We don't need them to scramble. As long as they know we're the ones giving them food, they'll be obedient and they'll soon learn that WE are their protectors and leaders!"

"NEVER!" came a shout. An old stood up tall among them. "We will never bow to you! Not as long as He-Man lives! Am I right?"

The people began to rise, shouting in unison "YES! NEVER!"

"We don't need your food!"

Bread suddenly came pouring towards Tri-Klops, Two-Bad and the centurions. The civilians then began to stomp and jump, pounding on the walls and the floor. "NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER!"

Tri-Klops fired a few blasts into the enclosed room of the stronghold, but this didn't calm them down. He waved his hand and Two-Bad and the centurions backed towards the large door. Once they passed its threshold, Two-Bad slammed it shut and locked it.

"Keep an eye on them!" Tri-Klops ordered. "But do not harm!"

"Yes - "

"- Sir."

Tri-Klops then pressed his comm-unit. A hologram of Evil Lynn appeared before him. "Evil Lynn, we have a development."

"What is it?" spat the mistress of evil.

"They're resisting us."

***

Arriving at the Fright Zone, She-Ra immediately ordered Swift-Wind to keep an low profile amongst an outcropping of rocks. Then, she and Frosta sneaked over to Doom Tower. For She-Ra, it was a sight that she thought she would never see.

The destruction the Snake Men had brought to it was incredible. It's complex dark walls and outcroppings were shattered on the north side. A field of debris now lay to the west, leaving the heart of the Horde's base of operations on Etheria exposed.

"If we only had the man-power," She-Ra wished.

"Not to worry. Once I get to stop them from attacking Castle Chill and taking those minerals, they'll be left wide open for longer."

She-Ra smiled. "I'm glad. Your help will be appreciated, Frosta."

"Don't worry about it. Listen, I think we should split up. Where did you say the Bat-Mechs were located?"

"The east wing, upper levels H-X, lower levels A-D."

"Thanks. Good luck."

"To you too."

Now separated, She-Ra made for the least guarded entrance. When she arrived, she was shocked not to find any guards at all. "They must all be dedicated to guarding the west wall. Shouldn't be a problem."

She smashed the lock and opened the door, letting herself in. Now inside Doom Tower, she instantly recalled the way to the communications array. It was there, hopefully, Adora's old access codes would allow a signal to be sent to Eternia, asking for information and instructions.

Sadly, though, the subtle act of getting up there wasn't meant for She-Ra. "Let the power return," she whispered. A crackle of power and energy surged around her female form and She-Ra became Adora.

As Adora, she opened up a nearby vent and climbed inside.

Meanwhile, Frosta arrived in the hanger bay of the Bat-Mechs. According to a lay-out she had glanced over, these were the Bat-Mechs that were going be launched. Hanging upside down from a pipe above the hanger (so as not to be seen), Frosta gathered her strength and concentrated.

For ten minutes, she prepared herself. And, fully aware and all-powerful, white energy dashed from her wide open hands, spilling ice and snow all over the Bat-Mechs. She laughed to herself as this effect flowed all throughout the hanger bay, incasing the many vehicles in ice and snow.

They cracked and creaked, then fell of the ground, suddenly too heavy for their moorings. When they collided with the ground, they shattered open, completely destroyed. Over the loud noise throughout the hanger, Frosta giggled to herself. Then, she iced up the pipe she hung from and slid away.

Adora arrived at the final vent, and stared out into the communications array. The room was empty, as she expected. She opened up the vent and leapt down, making little noise as her feet landed on the floor. She then walked over to the communications computer and began to type in her access code.

"Damn," she muttered to herself, finding her codes denied. She expected it, though, and tried another set. Nothing.  
"You didn't honestly expect to be able to access the communications computer, did you?" came a wispy voice from behind.

Adora spun around and found Shadow Weaver standing there. "Shadow Weaver . . ."

"Hello Adora. How's the Great Rebellion? Enjoying the lap of luxury at the royal palace? Mommy and Daddy giving you all that you wanted? Huh? Spoiling you?"

"Shadow Weaver, please."

"DON'T PLEASE ME!" Shadow Weaver shrieked. "DON'T YOU EVEN! WE RAISED YOU, ADORA, AND NOW YOU'VE THROWN IT BACK AT US! HOW DARE YOU?! HOW DARE YOUR?!?!"

"Shadow Weaver! That's enough!"

Hordak walked in and looked to Shadow Weaver, then to Adora. Much to his surprise, Adora's face was mixture of emotions - most of them shock and grief. "You're dismissed, Weaver."

The Horde witch moved out of the room, allowing Hordak to completely walk in. 

"Stay away from me, Hordak."

Hordak smiled. "First time I've ever heard you say that. In a way, I knew you'd someday betray us. But that's not a discussion for today. You see, Adora - snort! - you've caught me in a time of great unrest within my heart. The power of the Elders has opened up a sort of . . . floodgate within me. I feel compelled by the bond we once shared to aid you."

"What do you mean?"

"One minute ago, my entire Bat-Mech fleet was frozen solid and shattered. I don't have time to completely explain this to you. I raised you and right now - I just want to make you happy. Don't bother with the communications computer, Adora. You won't be able to reach Eternos. Skeletor, who now sits on the throne and awaits the moonrise and the opening of the Great Eye, took both Castle Grayskull and Eternos. I don't want Skeletor to become a demi-god any more than you do, so here."

He tossed her a scroll. She opened it. "What is this?"

"A spell that will help you open a gateway to Eternia and stop Skeletor."

"How can I - " And then, Adora looked into his eyes. They were no longer red, but . . . human. The black center, surrounded in green, and then white. ". . . I . . . don't know what to say."

"Go, Adora. The way is clear. Gather up your little ice-witch and get out of my sight."

Adora, still in shock, ran out of the room.

***

Soon, back at Brightmoon, Madame Razz looked over the scroll. "Deary My! I don't think it's possible to get this spell wrong!"

"Then get to work, Madame," She-Ra said, back to her former self before she left Doom Tower and met back up with Frosta.

"How can you trust that this spell is legit?" wondered Frosta.

She-Ra paused and recalled the image of Hordak's eyes. "I . . . I just do."


	5. Destiny's Journey

Chapter Four

"Destiny's Journey"

Time was running out.

Within the library inside Grayskull Tower, Orko poured over large books. It took him an hour to find anything regarding teleportation and portals. Another hour to find anything regarding Etheria. His eyes and mind drifted from book to book, from passage to passage, from spell to spell without any luck so far. But he kept searching - until he found it.

And then he started reading it. It took a long time to get through it. And just as he ended the last passage -

"I DID IT!"

A golden portal appeared. And then, he heard another voice. A elderly, female voice from the other side of the portal.

"I DID IT!"

"What the . . . ?" Orko stuck his head into the portal and spotted the Great Rebellion and the Heroic Warriors. "I did it, not you!"

Madame scowled. "I don't think so, Trollian! I was one that - "

"- that finally got one right!" they both said at the time.

She-Ra stepped up, unsheathing her sword. "We don't have time for this. Everyone who's coming with us, please follow me."

Swift-Wind was next, and then the other Heroic Warriors - Snout Spout, Extendar, Rio Blast, Rotar and Clamp Champ - followed her in. Then, behind them, was Madame Razz, Broom, Bow, Frosta, and Glimmer.

"Take care of things while we're gone, mother," Glimmer said.

"I shall. Good luck!"

Arriving on Eternia, within Grayskull Tower, She-Ra took immediately control of the situation. "What's the situation, Orko?" she asked, the portal closing behind Glimmer.

"Stratos and Buzz-Off have a big army waiting for us. He-Man went to go fight Skeletor, but hasn't been seen since. Eternos is still secure. That's where everyone else is at!"

"What about Man-At-Arms and Teela?" questioned Extendar.

"I don't know. I don't think they've been captured yet."

"Good," She-Ra said then. She looked to the window. "Sunset. Not much time. Everyone - grab a vehicle. Orko, how secure are the Great Towers?"

"Secure! Nothing's getting here!"

"Excellent. Then let us depart for battle!"

As the group took off from the Great Towers, a set of very small figures approached Viper Tower. King Hiss and his Snake Men - now only 1/4 of an inch tall - reached its wall. King Hiss pointed to Blast-Attack. The robot exploded, blowing a very small hole in the wall. The Snake Men entered.

"The spell won't last much longer," Hiss guaranteed. "Until then, we shall take refuge here. And my powersssss will grow sssssstronger . . ."

***  


"That's the last of 'em!" shouted Spikor as he and Whiplash herded Royal Guards into the prison. "Shouldn't be any more problems."

"Hey, I heard Skeletor went to that planet to find He-Man himself. Sounds like Evil Lynn really botched this one," Whiplash said, locking the doors.

"Probably that new guy, Karg. Oh well. Just as long as we have enough people here to handle all those Avions and Insectoids headed this way."

"HA!" laughed Whiplash. "Like they'll be able to get through us! No one will save these chumps! Besides, they would have attacked earlier anywho. Nah, it's just a rumor. No one's confirmed that."

Whiplash motioned around the room to the Heroic Warriors imprisoned on both sides of them. They were all behind metal bars, and chained up. "Yeah, guess you're right!"

With that, the pair left. Ram Man turned to Roboto. "Did ya hear that? Guess we were right. Stratos and Buzz-Off are alive!"

"And about to head here."

"If the 'rumors' are true."

"Oh, you know they are!"

"Guess it's time to make our move," said Sy-Klone. "Just like we practiced now. Roboto, Man-E-Faces."

Man-E-Faces went to his robot form and began to calculate equations while looking towards Ram-Man and Moss Man. Roboto, meanwhile, was looking at the control panel by the door. He accessed its system with his transmitter and began to transmit the proper release codes.

"Now," Mekaneck said, looking out the window by the door.

Roboto transmitted the last code. The cell doors opened wide without a single alarm going off. Man-E-Faces then nodded to Moss Man. "Prepare your weeds, Moss Man. Ram-Man, you got a firm grip on the chains?"

"Yep!" replied Ram-Man grasped the iron chains in his thick hands.

"Place your feet on the wall-floor corner of the cell and then jump hard! As soon as he does, Moss Man, get your weeds in here and them get into our shackles. That'll allow us to be free and fight back. Ready, Ram-Man . . . now!"

Ram-Man pressed his feet hard against the corner and then jumped while holding a firm grasp of the chains. The wall behind him shattered and tore open. Starlight poured in, hitting them all. Weeds shot out of the ground and into the locks of the shackles. They sprung open.

As Skeletor's robotic centurions entered, the Heroic Warriors went into action. Ram-Man and Man-E-Faces ripped open the cells of the Royal Guards, releasing them as well.

Together, both forces rushed out of the prison and into battle . . . with 10,000 centurions.

"So . . . now what?" asked Roboto to Sy-Klone.

"Get to work."

And so, the 4,000 Royal Guards and the Heroic Warriors launched themselves into combat.

***

Stratos stood at the edge of the Evergreen Forest with the Avions and the Insectoids around him. She-Ra and her team were just appearing from the horizon. When they reached them, it then realized that a mere two hours remained until Skeletor took the power of Grayskull for his own.

"She-Ra, good to see you again."

"You too, Stratos," she replied on the back of Swift-Wind. "But I'm afraid there isn't time for pleasantries. You and Buzz-Off should have left already."

Buzz-Off shook his head. "We decided it was best to beside you then ahead of you."

She-Ra shrugged. "That being said, gentlemen, let us go forth and meet the enemy! Ya!"

And so they flew, across edges of the Evergreen Forest, and then above the flat farmland of the Fertile Plains.

***

Ram-Man slammed himself into Jitsu, sending the golden handed villain flying back into a unit of centurions. He turned around, finished with the warrior, when Jitsu slammed his hand onto Ram-Man shoulder blade. Ram-Man could feel the impact through his armor. Another blow from Jitsu to the gut sent Ram-Man to his knees.

Moss Man managed to tangle Webstor up in weeds and he held the enemy safely above the others. But, a blast of smell from Stinkor sent Moss Man down, causing his body to shrivel. Mer-Man leapt into place then, and sliced off the weeds Webstor was tangled up in.

Roboto couldn't calculate fast enough to keep Tri-Klops from firing at him. Each beam of energy came from a different eye on his visor. It slammed into him, striking his casing open slightly each time. The final blast causing Roboto to fall.

Rokkon and Stondar shot towards Two-Bad, but the two-headed enemy smashed one with a hammer, sending him into the floor and the other with a laser beam, sending him into the air.

Man-E-Faces was smashed again by Whiplash. He went flying back into a wall. His human side wasn't working, so he attempted his robotic side. He attempted to configure a model in which Whiplash would most likely attack again. It resulted in a punch in the face. It was obvious that the primal fighting urges within Whiplash were acting, so Man-E-Faces went into monster mood. It proved to be a waste of time - he was slammed twice more into the wall.

Fisto took a swing at Trap-Jaw and managed to severely damage his robotic arm. Trap-Jaw groaned in pain. Fisto swung again, but Trap-Jaw was prepared. As he swung, Trap-Jaw snapped his mouth on Fisto's hand. It became gnarled. As he cradled it, Trap-Jaw kicked him in the face.

"Looks like we're surrounded," said Sy-Klone, back-to-back with Mekaneck. All of the Evil Warriors now assembled around them. The Royal Guards had already been recaptured.

Just receiving a message, Tri-Klops looked up from his communicator at that moment. "It's about to get a whole lot worse."

Mekaneck and Sy-Klone then realized what time it was. Midnight. Then, the holosphere activated and displayed a terrible images . . .

***

She-Ra and the others stopped dead in their tracks. The holosphere was activated. She and her allies watched in horror at the images it displayed from the throne of Castle Grayskull. He-Man - her brother, Adam - was being whipped and forced into bowing before Skeletor. Broken, beaten, but She-Ra could still see the strength within him to resist.

And then there was an even more horrific scene. The Great Eye of the Universe opened up behind Skeletor, and power was seen flowing to - into him - from him. The power of Grayskull was his now. Skeletor was suddenly transformed before their eyes.

As they neared Eternos, they could hear Skeletor's terrible cry. ". . . I AM A GOD!"

A deathly silence filled the air as the images fled from the holosphere. Stratos and Buzz-Off turned to She-Ra.

"Orders? Head to Grayskull?"

For a moment, she considered, but then shook her head. "No. No . . . I have faith in He-Man. He will stop Skeletor. We need to free Eternos. And then . . . deal with Skeletor. Press onward!"

***

Sy-Klone readied himself, as did Mekaneck. "It was fun while it lasted," said Sy-Klone.

"Tell me about it," Mekaneck replied. "Let's make this a good one."

The Evil Warriors circled around them, moving tightly into an attack formation. "Ready . . . set . . ." Tri-Klops taunted. "Prepare to - "

"HALT!" shouted a voice from above. Stratos appeared, flying down from the night sky. With him, 2,000 Avion warriors and 2,000 Insectoids. She-Ra, the Great Rebellion and the Heroic Warriors came down as well and unleashed their fury.

"Skeletor has not won this day yet, I say!" shouted She-Ra. "As champion of Grayskull, I so declare it!"

She-Ra jumped off of Swift-Wind slammed right into Tri-Klops. The triple-eyed villain was thrown backwards into a group of centurions. The centurions then approached her, but they were all shot down by Bow. She waved to him and then went after Clawful.

Just then, a large group of centurions went flying into the air. Ram-Man stood and began to smash and bash each robotic warrior that came by. Man-E-Faces and a revived Moss Man were at his side. They joined with Mekaneck and Sy-Klone and soon enough, Fisto. The newcomers Rotar, Clamp Champ, Extendar, Rio Blast, Rokkon and Stondar joined too, and then finally, there was Buzz-Off and Stratos.

"FOR GRAYSKULL!" came a roar from above. Battle Cat and Orko - who had apparently freed the tiger - took to the front of the Heroic Warriors. The team - the group - the force of nature - surged forward with a power and ability unlike any other she had ever seen.

"FOR ETERNIA! FOR GRAYSKULL!" She-Ra found herself saying. That was what she needed. A united front against the Horde. That's how she would defeat Hordak. She lifted her sword and was swiftly followed by Bow, Glimmer, Madame Razz, Broom, Swift-Wind and Frosta.

Tri-Klops and the Evil Warriors were being pushed back towards the Palace, as this unstoppable force pressed against them. The Avions and Insectoids along with the newly-freed Royal Guards, wrought destruction against the centurions.

The Evil Warriors entered the Palace, and immediately pulled into the throne room.

"_Tri-Klops,_" beeped in Evil Lynn.

"What do you want?! I'm busy!" snapped back the triple-eyed enemy.

"_We've been forced to retreat. He-Man's been freed and Man-At-Arms, Teela, and Gwildor are back from Earth with some aliens to help them! We're on our way to Eternos now. What is the situation?_"

"We're going to Hell in a hand basket, Evil Lynn! Make for Snake Mountain! We're pulling out!"

As soon as he spoke those words, the door to the throne room exploded open. She-Ra, the Great Rebellion, and the Heroic Warriors all piled in.

"RETREAT! LAY DOWN SOME COVER FIRE!" ordered Tri-Klops.

The Evil Warriors made for a back exit of the throne room. They used their powers and weapons to guard their retreat, but it didn't seem to matter. They were gone from Eternos in a matter of moments.

***

He-Man heaved, his body aching. The power of Grayskull was ripped away from Skeletor, transforming him into his former self. His Chaos Staff was shattered and it was done and over with.

"It's over, Skeletor," He-Man told his old enemy.

"Yes . . ." snarled Skeletor, the illumination fading from his face. "FOR YOU!"

A blade appeared in his hand - the Sword of Darkness - and struck at He-Man. He-Man fell to the ground. The Sword of Power slid to the edge, and dangled above the pit below it. The hero of Eternia dodged a quick jab by Skeletor and grabbed his Power Sword. Skeletor leapt forward and pressed his blade against He-Man. He-Man pushed - too hard, he realized too late - and Skeletor was gone.

Shocked, He-Man looked down into the pit and watched as Skeletor fell. And kept falling . . . until he could see him no more.

Lights came on, and He-Man stood victorious. The energy field that had imprisoned the Sorceress vanished. The centurions and Skeletor's cronies had abandoned Grayskull, well on their way back to Snake Mountain.

"Victory!" yelped Gwildor. "He-Man! Victory!"

"Victory!" shouted Man-At-Arms and Teela.

"Victory . . ." He-Man whispered, eyes looking away from the pit.

Man-At-Arms then picked up Skeletor's Cosmic Key. The one that actually worked now. "Set the coordinates for Eternos, Gwildor, we need to get back to the Palace and free it."

"Sorceress, she needs your help," He-Man pointed out. One of their allies from Earth - Julie - was in serious pain and would most likely die in the next few moments. The Sorceress moved over and studied the wound. With a few words, it was instantly healed.

"Thank you," Julie's boyfriend, Kevin, replied.

"No," the Sorceress answered. "Thank you." She then turned to He-Man. "He-Man, the power of Grayskull was removed from Skeletor, but there is still a problem."

"What do you mean?" He-Man asked.

"The Great Eye will reopen in three days now. Skeletor was stopped, but Grayskull still needs its power to pass to someone. There is still a danger here."

He-Man nodded. "Right. You! Lubic!"

The bald alien with the gun, Lubic, looked over with shock. "Me?!"

"Yes, you. We're heading out of here," He-Man ordered. "If anyone that the Sorceress doesn't approve of enters this room, shot them."

Lubic turned to the Sorceress. "You? You're the Sorceress?"

"Yes. Yes I am."

Lubic shrugged. "Whatever."

Man-At-Arms turned to Gwildor. "How much longer?" he demanded.

"Not much, not much. We'll be at Eternos in no time."

"Don't bother," came a cheerful female voice. She-Ra entered the throne room of Grayskull, a smile on her face. He-Man smiled and ran to his sister. The two hugged. Teela snarled to herself.

"Eternos has been freed. The Evil Warriors are in retreat, heading back to Snake Mountain. Along with the rest of their centurions."

"Victory, then!" Gwildor yelled.

***

A few hours later, She-Ra and He-Man entered into the throne room once more. Man-At-Arms and Teela were already there waiting for them. 

"We've made contact with North and West Eternos. Both are recovering nicely. The Avions and Insectoids are going to be helping them out with their lost crops," Man-At-Arms reported.

"The city is secure," Teela said then. "The wall is being repaired and all citizens have returned to their homes. The only people unaccounted for would be Adam and Adora."

"They're still at a secure location," Man-At-Arms explained. "What about Randor and Marlena?"

"Both Orko and Madame Razz are looking into that," She-Ra answered. "We're hoping to have them freed by tomorrow. Did your friends go home? I thought I saw that bald guy, Lubic, hanging around the Palace earlier."

"Kevin and Julie went home. Lubic has chosen to remain with us."

It was then the Sorceress reappeared. "We have much to discuss."

The four stopped right in front of her. The Sorceress was back in her eagle-garb and looked both relieved and stressed at the same time. The throne room of Grayskull had yet to revert to its natural state. "What is it, Sorceress?" wondered Teela, for some reason feeling a sudden connection to this woman.

"The Great Eye will reopen in three days. We must be prepared this time."

"Agreed. Someone must be here at all times," He-Man stated. "It's imperative we don't have a repeat of yesterday."

"I'm worried about Skeletor. I know he fell into the pit . . . but could he still be alive?" wondered Man-At-Arms.

"I do not doubt it, Man-At-Arms," said the Sorceress. "But it will be a long time before he is ever at full power once again."

"King Hiss?" questioned She-Ra. "Where is he? Was he taken back to the Void?"

"No," He-Man answered. "But Orko shrank him and the Snake Men. It's temporary, but should last another week or two."

"Bold move, that Orko," Teela stated.

"Never would have seen it coming."

He-Man and She-Ra both grinned. "Well, I think that covers everything. Unless, there's something you want to add, Sorceress?"

"I trust you all," the Sorceress said then. "And I can only hope that we can see the end of this together. But I fear that a great evil approaches. I can not see it, nor even sense it. But I know it is coming to Eternia. It is such an incredible evil. One that not even I am sure we can face down . . ."

***

Far beyond the stars, a darkness stirs and moves. From the time/space curve, it snaps from its chains and moved towards where power can be given and taken. It is called to, this Nameless One. The empty throne, the Great Eye of the Universe . . . Castle Grayskull . . . its opportunity calls to the Dark Cloud. 

TO BE CONCLUDED . . .

Look for "Masters of the Universe: The Crossroads of Destiny - Book Four: Restoration" coming soon!


End file.
